Harper Creek football will play at Ford Field. Find out when and why
BATTLE CREEK - The dream of every high school football player in Michigan is to play at Ford Field in Detroit.
That kind of invite usually comes with a spot in a state championship game. That's not the case this time for Harper Creek, but it's the next best thing.
Harper Creek will be a part of the Catholic High School Prep Bowl, a day of three games to be played at Ford Field on Saturday, Oct. 21. The Beavers will face Jackson Lumen Christi in a 1:30 p.m. game, followed by the Cardinal Division championship at 4:30 and Detroit Cass Tech vs. Toledo Central Catholic at 7:30.
Tickets are $10 and available at the Harper Creek athletic office.
"This will be great experience for our kids," said Harper Creek Athletic Director Melissa Feasel. "Our football team, our band, our cheerleaders and our pom team will all be a part of it. This is something that will create a great memory for all of them."
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Getting to play on the same field as NFL players and the Detroit Lions is the biggest bonus to the game, according to Harper Creek coach Mason Converse.
"For every high school player in the state of Michigan, their dream is to play at Ford Field at some point in time, possibly for a state championship," Converse said. "When Lumen asked us about this opportunity, we jumped at the chance. It's not for a state championship, but it is a great experience for our players as we get to play at the place where a lot of their heroes play on Sundays."
Harper Creek had Lumen Christi scheduled as a Week 9 home game in the final week of the regular season. Lumen Christi, now a member of the Catholic High School League, featuring Detroit-area teams, won its division and earned a spot in the Ford Field tripleheader.
"We are giving up a home game, but it's worth it for the experience," Feasel said. "Their AD asked if we were interested in it, if it came to be that the game would be played at Ford Field, and I asked our coach, and everybody agreed we were all in."
Lumen Christi is currently ranked No. 1 in Division 7 and is the defending state champ. Formerly a member of the Interstate 8 Conference, Lumen Christi has been on Harper Creek's schedule for several years before leaving the league this season. The perennial power has had double-digit wins in six of the last seven seasons but, during that span, Harper Creek has beaten the Titans three times.
Harper Creek is currently 4-2 and is in good position to make the postseason.
"We have a terrific rivalry with Lumen Christ," Converse said. "It has been pretty even over the past 10 years. It's a perfect game for us going into playoffs. No better way to get us ready for playoffs than playing a state championship-caliber team like Lumen."
Bill Broderick can be reached at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on X/Twitter: @billbroderick.
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Harper Creek football in Catholic League tripleheader at Ford Field
